Ukraine has not sought Yanukovich extradition – Russian prosecutor general

Russia has not received any official requests from Ukrainian authorities concerning former President Viktor Yanukovich, but if such documents appear the reaction will be in line with Russian and international law, Yuri Chaika has said.

The Russian prosecutor general gave a major interview to Russia’s
government daily Rossiiskaya Gazeta, where he stated his agency
had never received any official documents concerning the
extradition of Viktor Yanukovich, or any other Ukrainian
politicians. Chaika said the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office
maintained all necessary contacts with their Ukrainian
colleagues, noting that since the beginning of the Ukrainian
crisis both agencies have received and considered various
requests for assistance.

The comments were apparently prompted by the claims of Ukrainian
Prosecutor General Vitaly Yaryoma, who in December last year
accused Russian law enforcers of ignoring extradition requests
concerning former Ukrainian officials who had fled to Russia.
According to the Ukrainian official, there are 22 of them.

The new Ukrainian authorities have initiated about 30 criminal
cases against the country’s former president and impounded
property that belonged to Yanukovich, his allies or companies
allegedly connected with certain former officials.

Interpol has put Viktor Yanukovich on its international wanted
list, according to a notice published on its website. Charges
against the former official include misuse and embezzlement of
state property.

Viktor Yanukovich left Ukraine for Russia in February 2014, after
violent riots in Kiev and other major cities in the country. The
unrest was prompted by Yanukovich’s decision to ditch the
agreement on Ukraine’s association with the EU, a move that would
put into question established economic ties between Kiev and
Moscow.